Vacation in Icelandic Serenity
When I returned from my trip to The Land of Fire and Ice, everyone asked the same question, “Why Iceland?” To be completely honest, it was a matter of circumstance. Not to say that I didn’t have aspirations to get there, but more to say that it was never near the top of the list. I was clearly misinformed. The truth is this…I had recently landed a new job that would begin in a few weeks. Being the restless spirit that I am, it made sense that I would get out of town before being restricted to my work.
Things to Do In Iceland
I looked at a few options that could potentially fit the budget and somehow was led to a week in Iceland at amazing value. $475 round trip flight and $175 rental car for the week. The catch…the day of discovery was Wednesday…the flight left Friday. A little hectic in terms of planning, but who in their right mind would turn this down?
No surprise I found no takers on travel buddies…apparently two days isn’t enough time to prepare for an international trip? Craziness. Regardless it was an easy decision for me, and all things considered, that little country blew my expectations out of the water.
Arrival in Reyjkavik
I arrived in Reyjkavik early in the morning on a red-eye flight from Chicago, deprived of sleep but determined to explore. First thing to do was head to the rental agency and pick up my little toy car, which clearly was nearing the end of its run…scratches abundant, spare tires for wheels, pungent cloth interior. But the good news is that I could care less as long as the car allows me to get from A to B.
Even better, the young agent who was very aware of the state of the vehicle, hands me the keys with a smile and says “Yeahhhh, just do what you want with it.” Well…I’m definitely the wrong person to give that kind of autonomy to. I had planned to push the vehicle to its limit so this was like music to my ears. But, I was quite uneducated of the challenges while driving through Iceland, and those kind words would reveal themselves to be a gift and a curse.
Iceland Blue Lagoon
As I drove out of the lot to find a gas station, I struggled a bit to rediscover my skills with a manual transmission. My residency in Ireland was the only stage of my life that I drove a car like this, and I hadn’t lived there since 2009. Needless to say, it took some time to get the rhythm back. Driving towards the Blue Lagoon, the scarcity of people was apparent. I mean yes, I did recently live in the most populated country in the world, so my expectations for population density were a bit high. But this place felt apocalyptic at times.
Upon arrival at my destination I was frustrated to find out that the attraction was only available on a reservation basis. In addition, the cost was 50 Euros. Knowing I would’ve never paid that much to bathe in a geothermal pool made the walk back out the front door a little easier. I strolled around outside to have a peak and the water had this amazing hue of blue that I had never seen. Pretty incredible. Unfortunately the pools don’t induce endorphins through all senses because they emit an overwhelming hydrogen sulfide stench that is less than pleasant.
Iceland Cuisine Not a Priority
The little research I had done in the airport led me to believe a stop at a grocery store would suit me well if traveling around Iceland by car. Reasoning behind this is related to the lack of people and reality that once you leave a major city, most necessities can be hard to come by. I found the local bargain option, also known as Bonus, and grabbed some snacks. There was definitely an immediate culture shock as most things were either unfamiliar or unconventional for the trip. Thus the winners included…Peanuts. Doritos. Bananas. Water. Diet Coke. Granola Bars. Apples. I knew options would be slim, but it’s one of those things you can’t fully understand until you’re in the moment. With that said, this would be my daily nutrition for the next week.
My extremely tentative master plan was to see as much of Iceland as possible. Sifting through travel blogs revealed that most visitors take the Ring Road, which as it sounds makes a general loop around the country. It certainly doesn’t cover all that needs to be seen, but suits those looking for an easy route to attack and/or for individuals who have a time restriction. Another piece to my loose agenda was that I didn’t pre-book any accommodation. That may seem bizarre to most, but when I travel I don’t like to feel restricted. Of course there is always good and bad associated, and on this trip I truly felt that at both ends of the spectrum. (Digging into a deeper introspective side, it’s likely attached to my inability to commit to anything I’m not certain of.)
Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls. You Don’t Have To. They’re Everywhere.
Heading east, I made my way towards the Seljalandsfoss Waterfall. This would be the first of hundreds of waterfalls that Iceland’s fairy tale landscape has to offer. Incredibly large and powerful with rainbows scattered across it. This one was pretty unique in the sense that there’s access behind it through a cave. I definitely remember leaving this spot soaked from the hovering mist that is inescapable when you get too close. Minor issue compared to other experiences here.
Moving on, I was pretty fortunate to have cellular service while in the country. Definitely unexpected as my carrier is Sprint. Yes, I know I’m the 1% of the world that are users, but the plan fits me best so I haven’t moved on in 15 years. Having service wasn’t quite as important for connecting with people as it was for navigation purposes. Considering the amount of driving and diversions I chose to encounter, GPS was huge.
I digress. Next stop…you guessed it, another waterfall. Skogafoss. You’ll notice that each of these ends in the Icelandic suffix “foss”…of course meaning “waterfall”. Now you can speak a little Icelandic. Not sure what context in a conversation that becomes useful, but…? Anyway, this one is just as powerful, and twice the size. It also has access to the top where there is dangerous cliff space, providing a real perspective of the hundreds of feet lying beneath which gravity pulls the water towards.
For someone with a strong fear of heights like myself, all movements are stiffly made at a slow pace. Any intruders coming towards me at unwanted speeds are liable to be violently removed from my personal space. Yes, it gets that bad for me at times. Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building, Oriental Pearl Tower, and on and on. The cowardice hasn’t changed.
The Ring Road Course of Iceland
Fortunately I didn’t fall to my death and hopped in the golden Yaris to move on. Drove for a few hours, bumping all the new tunes I found. Mostly EDM and Hip Hop and Coldplay. The radio in the car was out of commission so pretty happy I brought my headphones. Driving the southern coast, the anticipation for this next stop was pretty high. But it turned out to be one of the most anticlimactic experiences of the week. The site was wreckage of a U.S. Navy plane that crashed in 1973, and amazingly all on board survived!
Obviously Iceland has no intention of removing what remains, and oddly enough it has become a great attraction to visitors, particularly photographers. Well, what they don’t tell you is that you’re gonna have to walk over an hour through black volcanic rock to get to the wreckage. It was perplexing to say the least. From the car I could literally see the beach where the fuselage lies, but somehow perspective from that vantage point deceives your brain. Not that I know the feeling, but I’m guessing it is similar to that of a mirage in the desert. It was weird. For most of the walk, I saw no people and heard no noises. A true twilight zone. I thought I was Matt Damon in “The Martian”.
US Navy Plane Crash at Solheimasandur
When I finally made it to the site, I was underwhelmed. The interest detached and I was immediately concerned I would not make it back to the car before dark. Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t because I thought I’d be in any danger. I just wasn’t sure I’d be able to see clearly enough to find my way back to the car. With that said, the walk back felt twice as long. I made it with some daylight but the car battery had died. Soooo smooth.
The thing is, Iceland has a law that all cars must always have headlights on. What I didn’t realize is that the lights turn on/off automatically once the vehicle is started. So obviously I had flipped the lights on and forgot to turn them off. Hence, no battery power. I called the rental agency who led me to a local service provider to jump start the car. Problem solved but it cost me $100. A little tough to swallow considering the rental itself was only $175! Not my best work.
Black Sand Beach
Last stop for the first day was at a black sand beach called Reynisfjara. Such a cool place to watch the sunset from. Powerful waves that have actually been fatal to past visitors, an oddly shaped lego-like cave and spectacular basalt stack columns scattered off the coast. From there I kept going towards the town of Vik and literally found my hostel at 10pm. To no surprise, I was stuck in a room with some awkward Chinese speaking Malaysians. Good times. Side note…I’m far too old to be staying in hostels, but one must embrace the circumstances when there’s only one affordable option.
Sleep in Vik. Snow in Jokulsarlon.
Too anxious to catch up on sleep, I was up by sunrise to explore the small town on the southern coast. It was a good hike to the top of a small mountain overlooking the sea, but well worth it. I’m not usually a morning person, but there’s something special about being in nature free of distractions. No compulsions to check emails, messages, or social media feeds. Just freeing the mind and exploring God’s creation. I spent a good ten minutes trying to get close to this black bird singing on a rock near the cliffside. We bonded and it flew away. I followed it to have a peak over the edge and watch the hundreds of other birds flying in circles from one rock to another.
On to the Jokulsarlon Iceberg Lagoon, where scenes of movies like James Bond:Die Another Day and Lara Croft:Tomb Raider were filmed. The diversity of Iceland is immense and this spot is validation of that claim. Crazy shaped icebergs with a tint of blue spread across a lake of the cleanest water you can find. It seemed to be a natural habitat that polar bears should’ve been hanging out and fishing for seals. Unfortunately those deadly animals only dwell in the Arctic Circle.
Driving the Ring Road is An Experience in Itself
The remainder of day two mostly consisted of driving through the eastern fjords, a beautiful and unbelievably massive maze where much of the Game of Thrones is filmed. Hours of weaving around unguarded cliffs overlooking the ocean was absolutely fear-inducing, but simultaneously one of the most thrilling rides to be had. Anxiety continued to build as this drive was one of the most stressful driving experiences I’ve had.
Let’s remember…small Toyota Yaris. No 4WD matched with spare tires to fall back on. Unforgiving gravel roads with numerous potholes. Driving for long periods of time only to be halted by closed roads and stuck with the alternative of backtracking several miles to a different path. Curvy roads leading into mountains that are still holding snow. All clearly being conditions not conducive to my little micro machine. Long story short, there were several times while venting my frustrations that I accepted the idea of sleeping and freezing in the mountains that night.
Technology is Not Always Dependable. Live a Little.
I managed to make it through the gauntlet and mapped out a hostel where I would try to stay for the night. But it would be too easy if I made it without complications. Upon Google Maps telling me that I had arrived at my hostel destination, I looked around to find nothing but nature and a sun clearing the horizon. A phone call to the hostel proved to be helpless and I scrambled to find another option. Fortunately the help of a girl I was seeing at the time provided me some options.
I made several calls and hours later I was fortunate to find a nice old lady in Egilsstadir who welcomed me with open arms. She was just about to close up but did indeed have room for me. The kindness in her heart didn’t even care to ask for payment until the next morning, as I’m sure she could see exhaustion in my eyes. Crisis averted, not sleeping in the car just yet.
On the road again. Just for perspective, it was the third day now and I had already made it from the southwest corner to the northeast corner of Iceland. I’m almost positive I wouldn’t have been able to migrate as much without the music. Hours of stretching my vocal cords to a variety of tunes, at some points even perfecting my craft in the art of freestyle. Yes, these are the things people do when in the middle of nowhere. Other random bits of information…haven’t seen the Northern Lights yet. In addition, I think the most underrated freedom of this trip was being able to relieve my body of waste at any point. Lastly…still eating Doritos for breakfast.
The Malicious Smells of Myvatn
First attraction for today was of course another waterfall known as Dettifoss. I mean, when you’re in a country that holds four of the ten best waterfalls in Europe, this is what you do! This one just happens to be #2 and it certainly didn’t disappoint. I’ll let the picture explain.
Moving forward to Myvatn, another geothermal area that was far more intoxicating than the Blue Lagoon. Intoxicating as in it smells like rotten eggs. This is also a very volcanically active area. Although my friend Bobby later scolded me for this, I again bypassed the very popular public pools. Just didn’t appeal to me. But I probably would’ve done it had I been traveling with someone else. Instead I found some crazy massive craters formed over the years of volcanic eruptions. There are tour guides that actually provide helicopter rides over active volcanoes, but the expense was again something I didn’t see the value to incur.
The geothermal area fascinates with several natural steam vents, hot springs, mud pots, and sulfurous mud springs. Crazy cool mix of colors as well! At this point I had my fill of smelling farts and headed to my AirBnB accommodation in Akureyri, which is the second largest city in Iceland. On the way I kept an eye out for Northern Lights but, no luck. The evening approach into this coastal town from the mountains was pretty magical. Easily the least stressful night of finding a place to lay my head.
Wee Hobbit Habitats
While making plans for the next day I was feeling pretty good about the progress made. Part of me maybe wondered if I had been moving too quickly, but that definitely was not the case based on how the last few days would play out. I got a message from an old UW-La Crosse friend who had apparently seen my recent posts. Unbeknownst to me, he and his wife had been living in Iceland for the last year or so, and he couldn’t have contacted me at a better time. Bobby provided some great suggestions for things to see, one of which was the West Fjords. This area is well known to be one of the country’s best kept secrets, and a big reason for that is most visitors don’t dare to navigate it. Well, me being the competitor that I am, it was clearly gonna be conquered.
Snacking on peanuts and jamming to the new Coldplay album, the Ring Road would lead me to, no lie, a village fit for trolls near Nordurland. Sorry to disappoint but no, I didn’t actually see any. The residences weren’t currently inhabited. But it’s fairly well known that inspiration for Lord of The Rings was borrowed from Iceland’s folklore. The rest of the day was spent driving through the West Fjords. To provide a clearer picture of its difficulty, imagine this region in the shape of several hands placed beside each other.
Prepare to Rumble With The Ring Road
Now, wrap your head around the fact that there is basically only one road to navigate the region, and that requires you to drive the coastline to the point of each finger tip. There are no alternatives to drive through these mountains. Everyone who chooses to pass through must endure the gravel roads that wind around the hands. Potholes for hours that awakened memories of riding American Eagle at Six Flags. Don’t get me wrong, there was signage discouraging my actions. But I had come too far to back down at that point. It’s certainly not for the timid.
Prepare To Be Challenged in The West Fjords
With that said, this painful adventure also provides one of the most beautiful landscapes you can imagine. No distractions, just peace and serenity in a world that truly feels like it’s your own. After several hours of driving I found civilization in a town called Isafjordur. Here I allowed myself a little time to unwind and observe. The city boasts a storybook harbor and an elite soccer club that I watched perfect its craft. I had no idea the Icelanders were so talented, and they reaffirmed their presence as a top federation at the recent European Championships.
Chasing waterfalls again, I was determined to make it to Dynjandi by the end of the day. Barely did so. My friend put a high ranking on this one and it was indeed pretty majestic. A huge flow of water from the multi-leveled mountain pushing directly into the sea known as the Denmark Strait.
I met an American photographer from Boston who had just moved to the country. A younger guy in his late 20’s I assumed, full of excitement for his crazy new adventure in Iceland. The first words to me were very appropriate as he recalled his disbelief of me coming down the mountain in the Yaris.
“What…how…you rode in on that?!” I couldn’t tell if the look in his eyes inspired thoughts of pity for how dumb I must be or respect for how brave I was. He literally couldn’t believe it.
Iceland is a playground for these types. Several great photographers make pilgrimages each year to see what all of the hype is about. Clearly his decision to stay showed he couldn’t get enough, and I don’t blame him. The sun had almost set and he was kind enough to put me in the direction for the nearest accommodation. We shook hands, wished each other luck, and I continued my journey through the rough terrain.
The Northern Lights: Prepare For A Life Changing Moment
Then this happened. As I made my way to a hotel in Patreksfjordur, I talked with the girl I was dating about the crazy cool day I was having. Winding around the coast I began to notice some strange color formation in the sky. At first I was unsure of it, thinking that maybe the lack of sleep and nutrition was beginning to catch up. Then it hit me! The time had finally come for me to experience the Aurora Borealis!
Yes I know that’s a lot of exclamation points! But I can comfortably back those up with this statement…You will never see anything like it in your lifetime. It’s in a world of its own. Uniquely real. Overwhelmingly powerful. Transparently spiritual. If the beauty of this world and the people in it haven’t been enough to convince you that we serve a Creator, this is surely the clincher. I dare you to go chase the Northern Lights and not agree.
The Aurora Borealis Is Spiritual
I pulled my car over to the side of the road and watched for hours. Despite the fact it was late and I hadn’t actually booked the destination hotel, there was nothing pulling me away from this. I was fully prepared to sleep in the car, or just not sleep and watch till the magic faded. The progression of the light show was impressive. I’m certainly not smart enough to make sense of the science of it all, but if I could explain its manifestation I would.
Subtle at first with hues of green on a backdrop of more stars than I had ever seen in my life. Then exposing a mixture of purples and greens that fit perfectly and moved as though it was a living being…something like those moving lights on an equalizer. It just kept getting closer and I almost felt like I could touch it. I’m trying to find a way to explain the phenomenon but it can’t be replicated. Chills. Tears. Deer in headlights. You get the point.
Not My Proudest Moment in Iceland
Still in shock, I attempted to find the only accommodation available to me in the West Fjords that night. Upon arrival around 1am, I approached the entrance with a clear expectation that it wouldn’t be open. I was correct. Doors were locked. No staff at the desk. No people in sight. Pretty typical scene in Iceland. I juggled ideas in my head and kept coming back to the realization that I would surely freeze in this car. If I left the car running, there were also be good odds I would run out of gas. There has to be an alternative!
My curiosity led me around the side of the hotel, thinking maybe there was an open door somewhere. It’s the safest country in the world after all, people don’t anticipate bad things happening here! Again, I was correct. I climbed up some stairs to the second floor and sure enough the door hadn’t been locked. Quietly I scurried around looking for a place to rest at least for a few hours. Couch on the second floor lobby…that’ll do. I didn’t care that I had to sleep in the fetal position because this beat the other option.
The next morning I woke up to giggling bypassers. Fair enough, I would’ve done the same. The sun was up and I figured it would serve me well to move on…but not without grabbing breakfast! Does that make me an even worse person? Yeah, probably, but who’s perfect anyway? I hadn’t eaten solid food in almost 5 days. Guilty conscience is looking for excuses. Moving on…I decided I wasn’t chasing any waterfalls today because it seemed like a great day to chase some birds! Unfortunately not the birds I usually chase, but I had to see what the Puffin hype was all about. The destination was called Latrabjarg, an area of extremely steep cliffs where visitors come to watch thousands of bird species hang out. An enjoyable experience to be had in small doses.
On The Winding Road Towards Kirjufellsfoss
There was more to do and I’d seen enough birds for ten years. Back to the Yaris…actually spent most of today in the car as well. Up and down through the mountains, often in the midst of clouds and muddy roads. Yes I’m complaining again because this stuff was stressful!! I was 10 and 2 so hard that my hands stuck to the steering wheel, sliding and bouncing around these mountainous roads. Car stalled a few times. I had to actually get running starts on several occasions in order to ascend. Fun stuff. On course I passed an old church, a couple of random deserted shacks, and an abandoned ship. Also took some time to discover a small deserted geothermal pool near this cave. I’m telling you, never ever been to a place like this before. It’s pretty special.
I wised up a bit today and booked a hostel near one of the most popular destinations in Iceland, Kirkjufellsfoss. As I approached, a huge storm rolled through so I decided to head straight for the accommodation. (Can’t live on the edge every night!) Some cool dudes at the hostel…talked to one English guy for about an hour. (That’s an accomplishment in itself because most exchanges I’ve had with the Brits are often so narcissistic that I lose interest almost immediately. It’s not meant to be a generalization, just a matter of my experience.) He was on a crazy 6-9 month travel extravaganza that made me quite envious. After peaking my head outside in hopes of more lights in the sky, the clouds made it certain there wouldn’t be a consecutive show. Time to turn in.
Tourist Saturation in The Golden Circle
An early rise in hopes of a nice shower. It had been a few days now. I was in luck and enjoyed every bit of it. Can’t say the dude waiting outside enjoyed it as much though. He mugged me. I know it was a bit too long…got it. Life went on. Made my way over to the picturesque spot and spent some time absorbing the beauty of it all. A lot more that had to be done today so I got back on the road. Yes, still eating snacks. No real meals yet. Also still singing all the way from the West Fjords back to the Ring Road.
I specifically remember the tunes that morning for some reason…new group called The Knocks. Catchy stuff! Next stop was to explore the highly trafficked Golden Circle. The thousands of people that frequent this area again made me appreciate the alone time I had around the rest of the country. Sadly I hear that most people really don’t venture out far enough to experience all the good stuff.
Love-Hate The West Fjords
With these things in mind, the West Fjords were 100% a love-hate relationship and I was content to get back to solid ground. Next up…Pingvellir National Park. The Geysers at Haukadalur. Gulfoss Waterfall. Kerid Crater Lake. The diversity of what Iceland has to offer is just incredible. I bounced around taking it all in, knowing I may not see something as spectacular ever again. (See the pictures and tell me I’m wrong.)
The plan was to rest my head in Reyjkavik, the biggest city and capital of Iceland. Can’t deny the fact I was more excited to just eat a real meal! After watching the sunset at the harbor, I visited a spot recommended by Bobby. The lobster soup was right where it needed to be.
Side Effects of Last Minute Planning
After such a spectacular sixth day, there’s no chance I could possibly face another obstacle right? Wrong. My AirBnB host went to sleep on me. More specifically, she left me without any access to the room I was booked to stay in. I drove to the house and tried several times to get in contact. No dice. My luck had finally run out, and I was destined to have that good snooze in the Yaris. Yes, it was bad.
One Day in Reyjkavik
But I survived. Last day in Iceland was strategically saved for the big city because I knew it would be the least interesting part of the trip for me. I am drawn to the beauty of nature. In general, the cities don’t offer the same feeling for me. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the culture, food, etc. But only having a week and being cognizant of the lousy Icelandic cuisine didn’t inspire me to explore Reyjkavik for more than a day.
I woke up early in the baby Yaris and walked around the city center. A crazy cool church, some decent street art, and a local cultural event kept me interested for the first half of the day. The color and architecture of the residential properties were also pretty cool. But it is a small city. I literally walked around most of the downtown by noon, leaving me pondering the next move. By now the body was running on fumes so I decided to pop in a pub for some cold ones.
Reyjkavik is Nice…For One Day. Explore All of Iceland.
Later that day I met up with Bobby at a cool spot downtown. We caught up on what was happening since college. It had literally been like 9 years since last seeing each other. He and his wife visited Iceland a while ago and both loved it so much that they decided to move there! Respect. They’re both chiropractors practicing in the area, which is impressive in itself considering the lack of practitioners in Iceland! He’s doing some awesome work as well! We tried some weird Icelandic dishes and talked travel for hours. Great to reconnect and we went our separate ways.
Iceland’s Value is Undeniable
Fortunately I got in touch with my AirBnB host and made sure there wasn’t a replay of me sleeping in a rental car outside of her house. I returned the rental car in the morning…half nervous of the cost that may be associated with the hell I put it through. Somehow I dodged that bullet and hopped on my plane heading for a weekend in NYC…my boy Calo was in from Northern Ireland!
Iceland is an unforgettable place. Nearly 2700 kilometers driven in a toy car around multiple obstacles, including clouds, snow, potholes, mud, narrow mountain cliffs, and more. A diet of peanuts, apples, chips, bananas, and granola bars. Nights slept in cars as well as random hotel couches. All things considered, the greatness overwhelmed me and I would do it again without hesitation.
